DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-098, June 17, 2005
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
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NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO Extra 57:
Fri 2300 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55
Sat 0000 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream
Sat 0800 WOR WRN to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar
Sat 0855 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300
Sat 1030 WOR WWCR 5070
Sat 1330 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5
[also WPKM Montauk LINY 88.7] [at 1000 from July]
Sat 1730 WOR WRN to North America
(including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115)
Sat 1730 WOR WRMI 7385 [from WRN]
Sun 0230 WOR WWCR 5070
Sun 0300 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB
Sun 0330 WOR WRMI 7385
Sun 0630 WOR WWCR 3210
Sun 0730 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2
Sun 0830 WOR WRN to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP
(including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115)
Sun 0830 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9
Sun 0830 WOR WXPR Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9
Sun 0830 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed]
Sun 0830 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional]
Sun 1200 WOR WRMI 7385
Sun 1300 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5
Sun 1730 WOR WRMI 7385 [from WRN]
Sun 1730 WOR WRN1 to North America
(including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115)
Sun 1900 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55
Sun 1900 WOR RNI
Mon 0230 WOR WRMI 7385
Mon 0300 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB
Mon 0330 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [1276]
Mon 0415 WOR WBCQ 7415 [time varies, e.g. 0419 May 30]
Mon 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours
Tue 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours
Wed 0930 WOR WWCR 9985
Wed 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours
MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
WRN ON DEMAND:
http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24
OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]:
WORLD OF RADIO Extra 57 (high version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx57h.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx57h.rm
[Extra 57 is same as COM 05-03, with WOR opening added to hi version]
WORLD OF RADIO Extra 57 (low version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0503.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0503.rm
(summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0503.html
WORLD OF RADIO Extra 57 in true shortwave sound of Alex`s mp3
Keep checking http://www.dxprograms.net
DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it
appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg. Here`s where to sign up
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/
** ALASKA. AMENDMENTS TO APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED
1540, NEW, Anchorage, original Auction 84 application was for U1
50000/50000. This amendment requests U1 50000/10000 CH 50000
(Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News June 13 via DXLD)
** ANTARCTICA. Re: 15475.85, R Nacional Arcángel, San Gabriel, 2020-
2030, May 30, bypassing the power house station on 15475 (Wilkner)
That log was a long time ago, but it was done with a Drake narrow
filter. 73's (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ANTARCTICA [and non]. Más sobre LRA 36
En relación con las apreciaciones que hace Célio Romais sobre la
colisión de frecuencias de Voz Cristiana y LRA 36, y que felizmente
está a punto de resolverse, al mudarse la primera para los 15485 kHz,
gracias a las quejas de la comunidad DX-ista, hay que agradecer a
Célio su participación en lo que respecta a la comunicación Voz
Cristiana para lograr este cambio, pero no estoy de acuerdo en lo que
dice, tratando de culpar a LRA 36 de lo ocurrido, por no acudir a las
reuniones de la HFCC y no entrar en contacto con Voz Cristiana.
1º.- Como dice Glenn Hauser, LRA 36 llevaba muchos años transmitiendo
en 15476 kHz hasta que llegó Voz Cristiana, pisándola literalmente;
entonces, si alguien causa daño a otro, lo que tiene que hacer es,
reparar el daño causado, sin que el agraviado tenga que siquiera que
solicitarlo, una vez que el causante es consciente de ese daño. Es un
principio general tanto del Derecho nacional como del Derecho
internacional. LRA 36 no tiene porque acudir a ninguna reunión, ni
negociar nada, simplemente se debe tratar de reparar ese daño, y en
este caso se corrige, simplemente, cambiando de frecuencia por parte
de Voz Cristiana.
2º.- Debemos conocer todos lo que es LRA 36, para saber que no es una
emisora normal, y que por eso, no está en condición de defender sus
derechos, siendo parte activa, para defenderlos, la comunidad DX-ista
internacional. Apelando, una vez más, al Derecho, no solo puede
defenderse, y pedir justicia la parte implicada, sino que se pueden
personar como parte otras personas u colectivos.
Digo que LRA 36 no es una emisora normal y es difícil que defienda sus
derechos, porque hay que conocer cómo funcionan las cosas en Base
Esperanza, Antártida, para saberlo. Yo, el año pasado, estuve en
contacto frecuente con el personal de la radio y por eso se como
funcionan las cosas y es da la forma siguiente:
El personal de la Base, y con ello se incluye el de la emisora, se
renueva todos los años, más o menos hacia fin de año. Es decir, el
operador y las locutoras que están ahora en la radio, no estarán el
año que viene, que serán otros nuevos.
No son profesionales, y llegan allí sin saber nada de radio.
Simplemente, les asignan esa tarea, como a otras muchas personas de la
base les asignan otra. Por ejemplo, el año pasado, a la esposa del
médico de la base, le asignaron la tarea de locutora, sin nunca antes
hacer ese trabajo, y como ellos dicen, lo hacen lo mejor posible, pero
no son profesionales ni tienen experiencia.
Un equipo, un año, a lo mejor, lo toma muy en serio y trata de poner
lo mejor de si mismo, y a lo mejor otro año, están deseando que pase
el tiempo para regresar al continente, sin interesarles mucho esa
labor, y sin importales mucho que pueda haber interferencias de otras
emisoras o no.
De ahí, que en algunos años, el personal de la radio se desviva por
contestar las cartas, despachar QSL's, etc, y otros años no,
dependiendo del interés que ponga cada uno.
Así las cosas, no se le puede pedir a esa emisora que acuda a ninguna
reunión con ninguna emisora internacional y creo, debemos ser los DX-
istas los que defendamos los intereses de esta estación, la única que
hay en la Antártida.
3º.- Dice el amigo Célio que algunos DX-istas atacaron a Voz Crisitana
con palabras groseras y mal sonantes por lo de la interferencia. La
verad yo no he visto esto, todo lo que he visto, tanto en Noticias DX,
como en DX Listening Digest de Glenn Hauser, o Conexión Digital, fue
que cada uno expresó sus ideas, pero de forma educada y correcta.
4º.- Y último. Agradecer que Voz Cristiana haya dado marcha atrás y
cambiando de frecuencia, pero creo esa su deber y obligación, teniendo
en cuenta el error que cometió al habere mudado para los 15475 kHz, no
contando, tampoco, que ahí estaba Africa nº 1 ya desde hacía mucho
tiempo (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA. This country is divided into three geographical regions:
The Andean highlands (Altiplano) in the west and central Bolivia, the
Amazon rainforests in the north, and the flat and dry grass plains in
the Departamento de Santa Cruz to the southeast. Out of its 8 million
inhabitants, Bolivia counts the highest percentage of Indians in any
country in the western hemisphere. The official language, Spanish, is
the mother tongue of less than half of the population. The two major
Indian languages are Quechoa with about 2 million speakers living in
the Cochabamba and La Paz areas, and Aymara with about 1½ million
speakers living in the Potosí area to the south. Others include
Chiquito, Guaraní and Tacana languages.
By nature, Bolivia has always been a rich country, first by its silver
and tin mines, and nowadays by its natural gas ressources which are
number two in South America after Venezuela. Most of these are located
in the Departamento de Santa Cruz and exploited by foreign companies.
Despite that, since 1985 Bolivia has become the most poor country in
South America, now having about 64% of the population registered as
poor. Most of these are Indians. They have been protesting in La Paz
and other cities recently, and on Jun 07 President Carlos Mesa
resigned for the second time after some huge strikes and
demonstrations, in order to avoid a civil war. The wealthy people in
the Departamento de Santa Cruz have threatened a breakaway from
Bolivia with its many poor people in the other Departamentos. The
Chairman of the High Court was appointed by the Parliament as interim
President and a national election to the Parliament within six months
was promised.
The following active SW stations have been heard by DX-ers worldwide
during the past 12 months. Frequencies marked x) have been heard in
May and/or June 2005:
Altiplano area:
3310 R Mosoj Chaski, Cotapachi x)
3390 R Em. Camargo, Camargo x)
4410 R Eco, Reyes, Beni x)
4498 R Estambul, Guayaramerin x)
4650 R Santa Ana, Santa Ana del Yacuma x)
4685 R Paitití, Guayaramerin x)
4717 R Yura, Yura x)
4762 R Guanay, Guanay x)
4763 R Chicha, Tocla
4782 R Tanaca, Tumupasa
4788 R Em. Ballivián, San Borja
4796 R Mallku, Uyuni x)
4845 R Municipal, La Paz
4875 R La Cruz del Sur, La Paz
4900v R San Miguel, Riberalta x)
5927 R Difusora Minería, Oruro x)
5945 R Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza
5953 R Pio XII, Siglo XX x)
5965 R Nacional de Huanuni, Huanini
6025 R Illimani, La Paz x)
6038 R Difusora Trópico, Trinidad x)
6080 R San Gabriel, La Paz x)
6106 R Panamericana, La Paz x)
6155 R Fides, La Paz x)
6585 R Nueva Esperanza, El Alto
9625 R Fides, La Paz
Amazonas area:
4600 Perla del Acre, Cobija x)
Santa Cruz area:
4865 R Centenario, Santa Cruz de la Sierra x)
6054v R Juan XXIII, San Ignacio de Velasco
6135 R Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra x)
(Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** BOLIVIA. 6134.8, R Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, 0038, Jun 09, ID: "Radio
Santa Cruz, la primera", comercials and songs. No transmission of the
national football match against Paraguay, maybe because Department de
Santa Cruz regards themselves as independent of Bolivia! Weak signal
with QRM from R Aparecida. 22222 (Manuel Méndez, Spain, DSWCI DX
Window June 15 via DXLD)
** BOLIVIA. 4498, R Estambul, Guayaramerín, has sent an e-mail to Gert
Nilsson in Sweden in answer to his snail mail report. This must be the
first verie they have sent out to anyone outside of Bolivia. As shown
in my posting on DXing.info, May 8, Gert heard a sign off where
mention was made of a female owner and her sons. Here is what I wrote
at the time: ``(…) Gert heard them s/off 0207 on May 6, promising to
be back on the air by 0900. Interestingly, (…), the owner was not
mentioned as "Sr. Yamal" but rather as "Señora" something & sons. I
won´t venture transcribing her name from just one mention which
coincided with a QRN outburst. Time will tell.``
And time has now come to reveal her name. It is Felima Bruno de
Yamal. With her husband César Yamal Aulo, Señora Felima has three
sons, Masmuth, Hasneyth and Hessen Yunifreth Bruno Yamal.
In his report Gert probably requested a verie and/or a pennant in
token of his reception. Showing that times seem to have changed, Mrs.
Felima de Yamal in her email says she was very pleased with Gert´s CD
and picture, but would he now, in addition, please help embellish the
studio by sending her ``a pennant and a little flag`` from his
hometown?
The snail mail address posted on this list does indeed appear to be
working. So if anyone out there feels like sending them a pennant,
please don´t wait. Now is the time. Meanwhile, an email message to
announce that a postcard or a pennant is on its way can be sent to
Señora Felima at ninafelima @ hotmail.com (Henrik Klemetz in
Dxing.info, Jun 14 via DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** BOLIVIA. New Bolivian has QSL´d via email --- Several of the new
Bolivians that have surfaced over the past year or so have shown
little interest in reception reports from abroad. Radio Estambul, in
Guayaramerín, 4498 kHz, appears to be an exception. In an email to
Gert Nilsson, in Sweden, the station`s owner, Mrs. Felima Bruno de
Yamal, says she was pleased to receive his snail mail report sent to
the address mentioned in DXLD 5-077, May 8, 2005. She writes she would
be happy to receive pennants and flags from listeners` hometowns in
order to embellish the studio (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, June 17, dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. The move of CHUB 1450 Cobourg, Ontario to FM 107.9 MHz,
1.03 kW, has been approved by the CRTC. So another Canadian
Graveyarder bites the dust. Not only is CHUC a Graveyarder, they are a
`Superpower` GYer with U4 8000/1000 and one of the few directional
GYers (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News June 13 via DXLD)
** CHINA. 11555, China National R 1, *1356-1410, Jun 04 and 05, new
frequency signing on in mid programme of nice music and choir, Chinese
announcement, frequencies, time signal and ID, 24232. Heard // 11710.
But no sign here of clandestine R Hoa-Mai scheduled *1330-1400* on
11555 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** COLOMBIA. Radio Líder (6139.77 kHz) ya entra en su segunda semana
de inactividad. Tal vez se cansaron de ser interferidos por Radio
Habana Cuba y otras, en el mismo canal. 73s y buen DX (Adán González,
Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CONGO DR. 6210, R Kahuzi, partial data e-mail verie for a snail
mail in 2 weeks. V/s Barbara Smith, Home Office Secretary (in Toccoa,
Georgia, USA). QTH: besi @ alltel.net My report has obviously caused
some excitement at the station, including on-air greetings, e-mails
from 2 other people associated with the station etc. This station
cannot be receiving many reports! 2 weeks later I received a beautiful
QSL card, from the US address (Vaclav Korinek, RSA in Dxplorer, Jun 12
via DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** EGYPT [non]. OPPOSITION GROUP TO START RADIO TRANSMISSION TESTS ON
SATELLITE | Text of report by Muhammad al-Shafi'i published by London-
based newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat website on 17 June
The "Save Egypt Front" [Arabic: jabhat inqadh misr], a grouping of
Islamists, liberals and "London Brothers" tendency members, will start
test transmission of its radio station on the Hot Bird satellite at
the end of this week.
Egyptian Islamist Usamah Rushdi, the press spokesman for the Egyptian
opposition front and the political spokesman abroad for the Islamic
Group in Egypt, said in a telephone contact with Al-Sharq al-Awsat:
The new radio will broadcast around the clock and will include three
hours every evening that will be dedicated to live relay by hosting
Egyptian figures from inside the country and abroad and provide a
platform for telephone contacts with the opposition leaders.
But Dr Ahmad Sabir, executive member of the front, disclosed to Al-
Sharq al-Awsat that the new radio would be called "Al-Inqaz"
[salvation] and it was bought from a group called Al-Balagh that
transmitted on Hot Bird a radio under the same name. He added that six
hours have been leased daily to the representatives of Al-Ghad party
that is led by Egyptian Deputy Ayman Nur. Source: Al-Sharq al-Awsat
website, London, in Arabic 17 Jun 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** ERITREA [non]. 15675, Voice of Liberty, via Samara (?), *0600-
0700*, Su Jun 12; the entire program was in Tigrinya, not in Arabic.
Scheduled We/Fr/Su. Songs from the Horn of Africa, ID: "Eritrea...
democracia...", news, political comment about the statement from
President Bush on the need for more democracy in African countries to
get economical support and the present situation in Eritrea. Al Qa`ida
was also mentioned. 23333 with QRM from wideband noise utility station
(Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** FALKLAND ISLANDS. FALKLAND ISLANDS BROADCASTING STATION TO BE
RENAMED
The Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station is to be renamed Falkland
Islands Radio Service from 15 August. Station Controller Designate
Corina Bishop told MercoPress that more than a hundred suggestions
were put forward and it was felt that the name Falkland Islands Radio
Service, which was suggested by a few people, "...will continue to
show that the station plays an important part in community life here."
She said she has received "mixed reactions" to the new name. "There
are those who didn’t want it changed and still don’t but there are
some people who are pleased with the change and some who are simply
pleased that it wasn’t too radical." (Source: MercoPress)
# posted by Andy @ 08:43 UT June 17 (Media Network blog via DXLD)
Why fix it if it ain`t broke? (Tony Currie, Scotland, ibid.)
** FINLAND. 11720, Scandinavian Weekend R, Virrat, 1430-1440, Sat Jun
04, pop music, announcements in Finnish and English and then listening
to a Dutch listener phoning in. 25333. Upon recheck at 1630, it had
faded out. 5980/5990/6170 covered by DRM noise (Anker Petersen,
Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** GAMBIA [non]. 9405, "Save the Gambia Democracy Project", via
Juelich, *2000-2030*, Sat Jun 04, political statement in English about
building up Gambia with support from the U.K., Japan and other
countries, frequent ID's, announcing regular broadcasts the next 24
months, talk in Malinke (?) translated into English, talk in another
Vernacular (Fulani ?), short Afropop, deteriorating from 44444 to
34222 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** GERMANY [non]. I've just received an email from Andrea Schulz of
Deutsche Welle's technical advisory department and she informs me that
starting from 20 June, 1300-1350 UT, 5945 will be replaced by 6225
kHz. 5945 has been suffering severe heterodyne from Chinese National
Radio (Yin Cheung "Yogesh" Mar, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Hello, everyone, I think Andrea Schulz is new in the technical
Advisory, because Waldemar Krämer has left Deutsche Welle (Peter
Kruse, Germany, ibid.)
New chief is Mr. Werner Neven. Mrs. Andrea Schulz is working at
English monitoring department already in past years. 6225 =
Komsomolsk-Amur Russia relay, 250 kW 213 degrees. 73 wb (Wolfgang
Büschel, ibid.)
** GUATEMALA. 4779.98, R Cultural Coatán, Huehuetenango, 1110-1120,
Jun 03, many IDs in just a few seconds, always strong during morning
hours local time in Florida (0710 EST [sic]). Heavy local
thunderstorm, but still good reception. 44444 (Bjarke Vestesen,
Florida, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** INDONESIA. 4869.98, RRI Wamena, 1225-1250, May 30, Bahasa Indonesia
ID, popular music, at 1233: "Radio Republik Indonesia, Wamena",
moderate signal. This one is seldomly active (Roland Schulze,
Philippines, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL. Independent World Television is building the world’s
first global independent news network. Online and on TV, IWTnews will
deliver independent news and real debate from professional and citizen
journalists -– without funding from governments, corporations or
commercial advertising. Using the web to organize and raise funds
across borders, IWTnews is building an international movement for
democracy. . . http://www.iwtnews.com/
(via Clara Listensprechen, June 17, DXLD)
** IRAN [and non]. WASHINGTON AIRS CAMPAIGN AGAINST FLAWED IRANIAN
POLL --- June 17, 2005 --- Article originally posted at:
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=58
In an effort to undercut Iran's presidential election Friday, June 17,
by a low turnout, DEBKAfile's exclusive sources in Washington report
that a new US-sponsored broadcasting station went on the air. Called
Ahwaziya, it is beaming programs directly from America to Iran calling
on the ethnic Arabs of Khuzestan to boycott the vote as part of their
revolt against the Islamic regime.
The station ran a film exposing the damage their bombings had caused
government buildings in Ahwaz, capital of the oil-rich province last
Sunday, June 12. One of the slogans aired is: "Khuzestan is occupied
land. Persians do not belong there."
A special satellite relay facility brings the broadcasts to all parts
of Iran.
The Americans have also activated from the Persian Gulf, probably
Dubai, four radio stations that speak for various Arab factions in
Khuzestan and 12 Internet radio stations whose programs address the
Balochi, Azeri, Kurdish, Bakhtiyari and Zoroastrian minorities of Iran
with a call not to cast their ballots.
In a sharp election-eve statement, President George Bush condemned
Iran as a state ruled by "men who suppress liberty at home and spread
terror across the world." (DEBKAfile June 17, 2005 via Grace-USA, CRW
via DXLD) WTFK?????
** IRAQ [and non]. MEDIA IN IRAQ - UPDATED 17 JUNE 2005
[also at http://www.w4uvh.net/mediraq.txt until the next edition]
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The Reuters Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme
have launched Voices of Iraq (Awsat al-Iraq), a website that allows
Iraqi media outlets to pool their news coverage, "addressing the
information gap caused by the absence of a national news agency", says
a Reuters press release on 16 March 2005. The website, which can be
found at http://www.aswataliraq.info, carries reports from newspapers,
magazines, radio and TV stations in Arabic, with English and Kurdish
pages to be added "in the coming months".
According to the website, it is UNDP financed, with Reuters
responsible for the editorial direction of the project. The website
says: "The following media institutions contribute to the news of the
site: Al Sabah al Jadid newspaper - Baghdad, Hawlati newspaper - Al
Sulaimaniyah, Al Mannarah newspaper - Basrah, and Radio Annas -
Baghdad."
"The project is being directed by Paul Eedle, a former senior editor
of Reuters. Project coordinator is Hassan Fattah Pasha, founder editor
of Iraq Today, and the editor of the news exchange is Assem Abdel-
Mohsen, former editor of Reuters Arabic Service", said Voices of Iraq.
A new radio station, Radio Friendship, Voice of Iraqi Women, was noted
broadcasting on FM in Baghdad on 10 June.
A new Kurdish language television channel - Zagros TV - launched on 12
June, and is available on the Eutelsat Sesat satellite.
Dubai-based Iraqi television Al-Fayha announced 15 May 2005 that it
would be closing down following a refusal by the UAE government to
renew the channel's licence, according to one of the channel's own
presenters. Hisham al-Diwan told a caller to a phone-in show that the
UAE "does not want to renew our licence," sugesting that the decision
may be due to the country's "relations with neighbouring countries".
No official announcement has been made by the station's managers or by
the UAE authorities, however.
A great deal of attention has been focussed on the daily "Terrorists
in the Hands of Justice" TV programme on the government-owned Al-
Iraqiyah channel, in which individuals accused of taking part in the
insurgency "confess" on national television. According to a VOA News
report on 4 April, officials say the programme is designed to show
Iraqis that the insurgency is not some kind of "noble struggle for
freedom", rather the work of criminals working for personal gain.
Despite the programme's popularity, opinion on it is divided, says
VOA, with many questioning the voracity of the confessions it airs. It
has also spawned a similar programme, entitled "The Real Terrorism",
which airs on the Kurdistan Democratic Party-run channel Kurdistan TV.
Concern has been raised at the number of journalists killed and
abducted in Iraq in 2005. The Committee for the Protection of
Journalists (CPJ) reports that five journalists have been killed in
Iraq so far this year, with four of these deaths occuring in April
alone. CPJ also voices concern at the number of journalists assaulted
and kidnapped in Iraq, including French Liberation journalist Florence
Aubenas, who has been missing since 5 January, and last seen in a
videotape released on 1 March.
Regulation
More than 150 Iraqi journalists met in Irbil in April to form the
Iraqi Journalists' Advisory Panel (INJAP), a group which will press
for media freedom and rights at work. The group, comprising
journalists, editors and media workers from all communities will also
represent the profession in discussions with the new Baghdad
government over media regulation, said a press release by the
International Federation of Journalists. The group includes
representatives of the newly-formed Iraqi Press Union, the former
Iraqi Syndicate of Journalists and the Kurdisatan Journalists
Syndicate, said the IFJ.
NEW SATELLITE TV CHANNELS IN IRAQ SINCE 24 JANUARY 2005
Rojava TV, a London-based Kurdish-language TV channel started test
transmissions on the Hotbird satellite at 13 degrees East. This
channel broadcasts for one hour a week only, on Fridays between 0800-
0900 gmt, and is controlled by the Kurdistan National Congress.
Turkomeneli Television, an Iraqi tv station that broadcasts
terrestrially in Arabic and Turkoman from Kirkuk has been noted with
transmissions via the Eurasiasat satellite located at 42 degrees east,
covering the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.
NEW TERRESTRIAL TV IN IRAQ SINCE 24 JANUARY 2005
In an announcement on 26 March 2005, Al-Sharqiyah TV confirmed that it
would start terrestrial broadcasts on UHF channel 48 in central Iraq,
UHF channel 42 in the north and UHF channel 44 in the south. The exact
locations of these transmissions were not disclosed.
NEW TERRESTRIAL RADIO IN IRAQ SINCE 24 JANUARY 2005
A new Iraqi radio station, Al-Rashid, was observed broadcasting on
91.5 MHz in Baghdad on 1 April 2005. The station is owned by the Al-
Janabi Group, an Iraqi company which operates in the fields of
agriculture, shipping, banking and other fields. Programming is a
mixture of Arabic, English and Turkish music, with a detailed newscast
at 1600 gmt.
On 20 April 2005, Al-Hurriyah Radio was observed broadcasting on 96.9
MHz in Baghdad. The station is affiliated with the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan, broadcasting Arabic songs, with a major news bulletin at
1530 gmt.
Ur FM was also observed on 20 April 2005 on 96.7 MHz, with programming
consisting of continuous Arabic music. No political or economic
affiliations could be ascertained from observations. However, the
Iraqic Nation Communication and Media Commission website details the
licence owner as Raied Jabbari, an Iraqi/British national based in the
UAE.
A BBC Monitoring survey of the FM radio band on 14 April noted Voice
of the University (Sawt al-Jam'ah) on 97.0 MHz, broadcasting in
Arabic.
Since 20 April BBC Monitoring has observed a new radio station
identifying as Radio Al-Nur (the Light) broadcasting on 90.3 MHz FM in
Baghdad. The station's format is mostly music interspersed with
frequent announcements in Arabic, including one giving their e-mail
address as alnoor903fm@yahoo.com. It is not known if the station is
linked to either of the two newspapers of the same name published in
Baghdad, one of which supports Grand Ayatollah Sistani and says that
the Shi'i religious authorities are the legitimate representatives of
the Iraqi people
RADIO
BBC Monitoring can confirm hearing the following broadcasters as of
May 2005:
AM stations (all frequencies in kHz)
594 People's (Al-Nas) Radio - 0400-1500
603 Republic of Iraq Radio - southern Iraq
675 Republic of Iraq Radio (parallel with 98.3 MHz) - 0500-1510
756 Information Radio
909 Radio Nahrain (IMN), Basra
999 Radio Bilad (Lands) - 0500-1300
1030 Al-Salam Radio - 0700-1700
1053 Al-Salam Radio - 0700-1700 (alternative to 1030 kHz)
1071 Radio Babil (IMN), Hilla
1116 Dar al-Salam Radio - 0500-1800 (parallel with 1152 kHz and 91.0
MHz)
1152 Dar al-Salam Radio - 0500-1800 (parallel with 1116 kHz and 91.0
MHz)
1179 Voice of Iraq - 0400-1800
1206 Voice of the People of Kurdistan, in Arabic and Kurdish
1395 Al-Mustaqbal Radio (frequency in southern Iraq - parallel with
95.5 MHz)
1593 Radio Free Iraq, in Arabic/VoA in English, Kurdish, Persian
FM stations in Baghdad (all frequencies in MHz)
88.0 Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, in Arabic and French (carries
some RFI French newscasts)
88.5 MBC FM
89.0 BBC World Service, in Arabic
89.5 Turkoman FM
90.3 Radio Al-Nur
91.0 Dar al-Salam Radio - 0500-1800 (parallel with 1116 and 1152 kHz)
91.5 Radio Rashid - 0300-2300
93.5 Radio France Internationale in French
94.8 Radio Diyala (IMN) - 0400-2100
95.5 Al-Mustaqbal Radio - 0500-1700
96.0 Radio Friendship, Voice of Iraqi Women
96.7 Ur FM
96.9 Al-Hurriyah Radio
97.0 Voice of the University
97.5 Voice of the People of Kurdistan - 0500-2000
97.9 BBC World Service in English
98.3 Republic of Iraq Radio - 0000-2400 (parallel with 675 kHz)
98.8 98.8 FM - 0000-2400 (owned by Channel 4 Radio Network, UAE)
99.4 Ashur Radio, in Arabic and Assyrian - 0610-1700
99.9 Sumer FM - 0000-2400
100.4 Radio Sawa
101.2 Radio Shafaq (Twilight), in Arabic and Kurdish - 1200-1700,
repeated 0500-1000
102.4 Radio Free Iraq (RFE/RL)/VoA in English and Kurdish
104.1 IQ4 Radio / Hot FM in English and Arabic - 0000-2400
105.2 Radio Dijla - 0500-0115
106.0 Al-Salam Radio FM - 0000-2400
106.9 BFBS Radio 1 in English
107.7 AFN-Iraq ("Freedom Radio") in English
FM stations in southern Iraq (all frequencies in MHz)
88.0 BBC World Service in English
88.8 Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, in Arabic and French
90.0 BBC Arabic Service, Basra
91.6 Voice of the South, Basra
92.8 Al-Nakhil Radio - (the Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq)
95.7 Radio Sawa
96.0 Republic of Iraq Radio
102.0 BFBS Radio One
105.0 Radio Free Iraq
106.0 BFBS Radio Two
107.0 Radio Sawa
Republic of Iraq Radio is the successor to Iraqi Media Network-Radio
Baghdad, which was operated by the Coalition Provisional Authority. It
is currently observed on air in Baghdad round the clock on 98.3 MHz
FM, and for a shorter daily period (0500-1510 gmt) on 675 kHz
mediumwave. It has also been observed in southern Iraq on 603 kHz.
Republic of Iraq Radio started broadcasting via the 13 degrees east
Hotbird satellite to Europe in April 2005, in parallel with
transmissions on the Arabsat 3A and Arabsat 2D satellites.
Radio Dijla - Iraq's first independent talk radio station, Radio Dijla
(Tigris Radio) identifies itself as "Radio Dijla from Baghdad, the
first independent Iraqi radio".
Radio Dijla broadcasts on 105.2 MHz in the FM band in Baghdad, on a
slightly variable schedule of 0800-0415 local time (0500-0115 gmt).
The station is also available with a live audio stream available from
its website at http://www.radiodijla.com
As far as can be ascertained, Radio Dijla is not available on
satellite.
The commercial station, which is the first independent talk radio
station in Iraq, was founded by Dr Ahmad al-Rikabi, a former London
bureau chief of US-funded Radio Free Iraq. After the Coalition war
against Iraq in 2003, Rikabi helped to set up Coalition-run radio and
TV stations in his role as head of the Iraqi Media Network.
Radio Dijla carries a mix of programming including live phone-in
programmes during which callers express their opinions on issue of
concern to the Iraqi people and society; interviews; programmes on
social issues; and Arab and Iraqi pop songs and entertainment
programmes.
During phone-in programmes, the announcers say: "Our opinion does not
count, but what always counts is your opinion."
According to a feature article in the London newspaper The Guardian on
10 June 2004, the station broadcasts in the local Iraqi dialect and
not classical Arabic, and operates from "a modest family house
somewhere in a western Baghdad suburb".
It receives up to 18,000 calls a day, although it can only answer a
fraction of that number. "It has become Baghdad's favourite," the
Guardian reported, noting: "Radio Dijla has also become required
listening for the country's new authorities."
Voice of Iraq was launched in Baghdad in summer 2003, and is currently
on the air at 0700-2100 local time (0400-1800 gmt).
The station has a website entirely in Arabic at http://www.voiraq.com
which states that the radio "covers an area with 12 million Iraqi
inhabitants".
The site adds, among other things: "The Voice of Iraq, which transmits
from Baghdad on 1179 kHz, is the first independent radio in Iraq's
history. It started transmitting on 15 July 2003 after a month of
testing. The founders of the radio wanted the station to be a
distinguished media organ in terms of both accuracy and objectivity,
broadcasting all news reports and analysing developments in a serious,
impartial, professional and unbiased manner.
"The Voice of Iraq presents a wide variety of intellectual talks,
field investigations, panel discussions and many programmes on various
subjects.
"The radio is eager to safeguard unity and amity among the Iraqi
people following decades of attempts to foment sectarianism and
practise murder and oppression against the majority of the Iraqi
people and the rest of Iraq's citizens.
"The editorial policy of the Voice of Iraq takes great care of the
Iraqi people's national unity, encouraging close relations among the
various ethnic groups - Arabs, Kurds and Turkomans - who must have
equal rights without any form of prejudice.
"The Voice of Iraq is also eager to strengthen relations with
neighbouring states and peoples and promote them in a way that would
eradicate the harm that the defunct regime's aggression against these
states had caused."
Al-Mustaqbal (The Future) Radio - The radio is operated by the Iraqi
National Accord movement (INA) and transmits from Baghdad on FM 95.5
MHz. The station no longer broadcasts on 1305 kHz. The radio describes
itself as "the voice of the Iraqi National Accord." The INA movement
has a website in English and Arabic at http://www.wifaq.com
Al-Salam TV and Radio from Baghdad - The following report headlined
"This is Al-Salam television and radio from Al-Kazimiyah city" was
published by the Iraqi National Accord newspaper Baghdad on 14
February 2004:
"After the fall of the former regime and the end of the phase of
propaganda media and obscuring the voice of others, Al-Salam
Television and Radio station was established in Al-Kazimiyah City, in
Baghdad, to broadcast programmes that call for love and harmony among
the people of Iraq.
"This station also provides people with useful media and reflects the
wishes of the people from all ethnic, religious and sectarian
affiliation within the framework of democracy and freedom of
_expression, which they were deprived of under the former regime,
without favouritism or taking the side of any sect or religion, and
without circulating this or that ideology.
"The television station has started its daily test transmission on
Channel 5 from 1600 until 2000.
"This station has an elite range of well-known media figures,
including announcer Amal al-Mudarris, director Ali al-Ansari, writer
Sabah Ruhaymah, and announcer Samirah Jiyad."
Al-Salam (Peace) Radio is on the air daily at 1000-2000 local time
(0700-1700 gmt) 1030 or 1035 kHz mediumwave. It is not known if this
station has any connection with a similarly named music station on
106.0 MHz FM, Al-Salam Radio FM.
Dar al-Salam Radio - Dar al-Salam Radio (Haven of Peace) broadcasts
from Baghdad and identifies itself as the radio of the Iraqi Islamic
Party. The station was first monitored on 24 March 2004.
Initial broadcasts focused on the activities of Iraqi Islamic Party
leader Mushin Abd al-Hamid and Islamic issues.
In its initial broadcasts, Dar al-Salam Radio highlighted the
importance of Islam in Iraqi society. The station also aired religious
songs.
BBC Monitoring observed a station identifying in Arabic as Dar al-
Salam Radio on 91.0 MHz in the FM band at 1400 gmt on 18 September
2004. Programming on this new frequency was in parallel with the
mediumwave service on 1152 kHz, first observed in March 2004.
"Telephone FM" is a new radio programme produced in the German capital
Berlin by young Iraqis and targeting a youth audience inside Iraq.
Since 10 July the 90-minute "Telephone FM" programmes has been five
afternoons a week by the Baghdad-based private station Hot FM, which
is on 104.1 MHz. As well as reports and interviews conducted by
telephone for the most part and then compiled in Berlin, Telephone FM
will air a mix of Arabic and mainstream Western music. The project is
sponsored by the German Foreign Ministry, which has provided 102,000
dollars in aid.
Al-Nas ("People's") Radio broadcasts nationally on 594 kHz from
Baghdad, planning to open an FM outlet in June 2005. Rebroadcast's
German external radio Deutsche Welle for four hours per day.
Ashur Radio was first observed on FM in Baghdad by BBC Monitoring on
24 July 2004. Programmes in Arabic and Assyrian are broadcast at 0910-
2000 local time (0610-1700 gmt) on 99.4 MHz FM in Baghdad.
Ashur was one of the ancient capitals of the Assyrian Empire, situated
on the River Tigris in northern Iraq. A clandestine radio station of
this name broadcast on 9155 kHz shortwave prior to the 2003 Iraq war.
Bilad Radio operates on 999 kHz mediumwave in Baghdad. Programming
consists entirely of Koranic recitations and the call to prayer. The
station is on the air daily at 0800-1600 hours local time (0500-1300
gmt).
Radio Friendship, Voice of Iraqi Women (Radio al-Mahabbah, Sawt al-
Mar'ah al-Iraqiyah), a Baghdad-based station aimed at a female
audience, first noted by BBC Monitoring on 10 June 2005 on 96.0 MHz.
British Forces Broadcasting Service
BFBS radio and TV stations are available as follows (all frequencies
are in MHz):
BFBS Radio 1
Umm Qasr 106.5
Shaybah 106.5
Basra 106.5
Al-Amarah 106.5
Baghdad 106.9
BFBS Radio 2
Umm Qasr 102.1
Shaybah 102.1
Al-Amarah 87.5
Basra 102.1
BFBS Gurkha Radio
Basra 104.0
BFBS TV is available only via DTH satellite and closed cable systems.
US American Forces Radio
AFN-Iraq has been observed on 107.7 MHz in Baghdad with local
programming, identifying on air as "Freedom Radio" and "Freedom Radio
107.7." AFN Radio on 92.3 MHz in Baghdad carries a separate non-local
programme stream.
AFN Radio is available on the FM band as follows (all frequencies are
in MHz):
Baghdad 92.3 (Voice Channel) & 107.7 (AFN-Iraq/Freedom Radio)
Balad 107.3
Kirkuk 100.1 & 107.3
Mosul 105.1
Quyarrah/Q-West base 93.3
Sinjar 107.9
Tallil 100.1 (Voice Channel) & 107.3 (Bright AC)
Tikrit 93.3
AFN-Iraq has a website at http://www.afniraq.army.mil
The following are stations in operation before April 2003 that
continue to be heard inside Iraq:
Voice of the People of Kurdistan, operated by the PUK, currently
broadcasts on 1206 kHz mediumwave and 4025 kHz shortwave, and also on
97.5 MHz in Baghdad.
Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, operated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP), currently broadcasts on shortwave 6340 kHz and FM 91.4 MHz
(Salah al-Din), 91.5 MHz (Arbil) and 93.3 MHz (Dohuk). This station
also noted on 13 February 2005 broadcasting via the Hotbird 6
satellite at 13 degrees east.
Radio Azadi, Voice of the Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan
Voice of the Iraqi People, Voice of the Iraqi Communist Party - The
station broadcasts from northern Iraq, possibly using Kurdish
facilities.
Radio from Iran in Persian and Arabic, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and Israel is also
heard at times.
TELEVISION
TV stations in Iraq (sound frequencies in MHz )
E7 189.25/194.75 Al-Iraqiyah (IMN)
E9 203.25/208.75 Al-Iraqiyah (IMN)
E22 479.25/484.75 Al-Iraqiyah (IMN)
E30 543.25/548.75 Kurdsat, Sulaymaniyah
E31 551.25/556.75 Al-Hurriyah
E33 567.75/572.75 Kurdistan TV
E37 599.25/604.75 Al-Iraqiyah (IMN)
E41 631.25/636.75 Nahrain TV
E45 663.25/668.75 Ashur TV
E54 735.25/740.75 Al-Mashriq
Al-Iraqiyah, formerly known as Iraqi Media Network television launched
on 13 May 2003. The station now broadcasts 24-hours a day.
IMN TV was renamed Al-Iraqiyah TV in November 2003. The station is
available on different channels in 26 major cities and towns across
Iraq. For channel details, see the IMN website at
http://www.iraqimedianet.net
Al-Iraqiyah TV also broadcasts on the Arabsat 2D and 3A satellites at
26 degrees east.
Surveys carried out in mid-2004 indicated that Al-Iraqiyah, whose
coverage area extends to between 70-80 per cent of Iraq, was the TV
station with the most viewers.
The leading pan-Arab channel was Al-Arabiyah, followed by Al-Jazeera.
These two shared almost two-thirds of the satellite TV audience in
Iraq.
In February 2005, a 22m US dollar contract was signed between the
Iraqi government and the US-based Harris Corporation with a view to
IMN becoming Iraq's public service broadcaster by May. The day-to-day
running is in the hands of Harris, with programming sub-contracted to
Lebanese Broadcasting International, says a report by Index on
Censorship on 1 February.
IMN's director general Jala al-Mashta resigned in November 2004 over
excessive government demands.
Al-Sharqiya satellite TV - Al-Sharqiya, launched in March 2004, is
owned by Iraqi businessman Sa'd al-Bazzaz, who is also the publisher
of the Arabic-language daily newspaper Al-Zaman. The channel began
regular transmission on 4 May 2004. It describes itself as "the first
private, national media project that does not represent any political,
ethnic or sectarian group".
Al-Sharqiya is a channel with an Iraqi flavour. The channel's
newscasts focus on developments in Iraq and the political, economic
and social conditions there. Between newscasts, the channel carries
talk shows and interviews, Iraqi music and drama programmes and
cartoons for children. All drama series are Iraqi in terms of
production, actors and dialect. The only non-Iraqi content is the
cartoons.
Al-Sharqiya does not air religious programming and does not carry the
calls for prayers or Friday sermons. The channel frequently broadcasts
the slogan seen in its logo "Al-Sharqiya - the truth television".
Al-Sharqiya broadcasts 24 hours a day via satellite and terrestrially.
It has offices in Baghdad and Dubai Media City. The channel is
reported by the Lyngsat satellite chart to be transmitting from the
Arabsat 2D, Hot Bird 2 and Nilesat 101 satellites, all in digital
format. The channel has a website at http://www.alsharqiyatv.com
Al-Diyar TV - Al-Diyar (The Homeland) began official transmissions on
20 June 2004 on the Nilesat 101 satelite after a period of testing.
Al-Diyar is also available on Arabsat 2B (30.5 degrees east) and Hot
Bird 4 (13 degrees east).
The station is run by Iraqi media figure Faysal al-Yasiri in
cooperation with the pan-Arab satellite pay-TV service Arab Radio and
Television Network, ART, which contributed to setting up and financing
the new channel. ART is owned by the Saudi billionaire entrepreneur
Salih Kamil.
Under Saddam Husayn's regime, Faysal al-Yasiri served in various high-
level media posts, including head of Iraqi Radio and Television.
According to the on-screen information card, the channel identifies
itself, both in Arabic and English, as: "Al-Diyar, the Arabic channel
with an Iraqi flavour." A map of Iraq is also shown in the background.
In an interview published by the Iraqi National Congress (INC) weekly
newspaper Al-Mu'tamar on 23 February, Faysal al-Yasiri said the new
service would be "an Arab channel with an Iraqi flavour. The head
office is in Baghdad, which will be the base for programme production
and news editing by the technical and engineering staff, which will
operate it and run the headquarters."
Al-Anwar (The Lights), a Shi'i satellite channel, was observed on 15
September 2004 broadcasting test transmissions on the Nilesat 102
satellite at 7 degrees west.
Al-Anwar was observed to carry the following two messages to describe
itself: "Al-Anwar: A truth in the centre of the sky" and "Al-Anwar:
Truth has only one colour."
The channel has a website at http://www.alanwar.tv containing only the
technical paramters required to receive Al-Anwar.
Al-Furat (The Euphrates), based in Baghdad, began test transmissions
in June 2004. The channel transmits via the Arabsat 2D satellite at 26
degrees east, Arabsat 2B at 30.5 degrees east and Nilesat 101 at 7
degrees west. In an on-screen message on 4 January 2005, Al-Furat
described itself as "the voice of genuineness and moderation". Al-
Furat was observed to express its total support for the election
platform of the Unified Iraqi Coalition, which has the backing of
Iraq's most senior Shi'i cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and
whose electoral list comprises other key Shi'i figures such as Al-
Sayyid Abd-al-Aziz al-Hakim, Dr Ibrahim al-Ja'fari, Dr Ahmad Chalabi,
Dr Ibrahim Bahr-al-Ulum, Dr Muwaffaq al-Rubay'i and others. The
station has a website at http://www.alforattv.com featuring reception
parameters, contact details and a live feed of the channel.
Al-Sumariyah (reference to Sumer, an ancient region of southern
Mesopotamia in present-day southern Iraq) - This satellite TV channel
began broadcasting from Beirut on 27 September 2004, via the Nilesat
101 satellite at 7 degrees west. It is also available via PanAmSat 4
at 74 degrees east.
The channel stated that although it "operates under the licence of the
Iraqi government", it would start its broadcasts from the Lebanese
capital "for security reasons." Its shareholders are predominantly
Iraqi.
Al-Sumariya describes itself as "an independent satellite television
which aims at showing the world the true face of Iraq, and not only
images of violence." The station is owned by CET (Communication
Entertainment and Television) SAL (Offshore), according to its
website.
Al-Sumariyah TV has a website at http://www.alsumaria.tv
Al-Fayhaa ("The Vast", one of the Arabic names for Basra), is an Iraqi
satellite channel that began test transmissions from the UAE in July
2004. The channel uses the Nilesat 102 satellite at 7 degrees west and
is reportedly licensed in Dubai Media City. It is also available on
Hot Bird 2 at 13 degrees east.
Muhammad al-Ta'i, chairman of the board of directors and director-
general of the channel, has described Al-Fayhaa as "a purely Iraqi
national channel with no links to other regimes, governments or
parties", according to the Iraqi Shi'i group's Iran-based radio
station Voice of the Mujahidin on 27 July.
On 15 May 2005, one of the station's announcers said that it would be
forced to close following the UAE government's decision not to renew
its licence. However no official announcement fromeither the station
or the UAE authorities has been forthcoming at the time of
publication.
The station has a website at http://www.alfayhaatv.net/
Nahrain TV is a Baghdad-based terrestrial TV channel which announced
plans to launch in August 2004. Nahrain ("rivers"), was financed by an
initial 25m-US dollar investment from Naguib Sawiris, chief executive
of Orascom, an Egyptian telecommunications group. Orascom also owns
Iraq's main wireless operator, Iraqna. It is operated by Video Cairo
Sat, an Egyptian production company.
Mohammed Gohar, the founder of Video Cairo Sat, told the International
Herald Tribune in remarks published on 16 August 2004: "We have no
agenda... We just want to inform and entertain and basically to help
people to cope with their daily lives in what is a very shaky and
chaotic situation."
Nahrain's offices in Baghdad employ a staff of around 80, all of them
Iraqi nationals.
A poll published by the Egypt Times on 3 May 2005 found that Nahrain
TV was the "most popular terrestrial channel" in Iraq.
According to the International Herald Tribune, Nahrain's 10-hour daily
programming schedule "includes ample doses of news and public affairs
content... interspersed with musical variety shows, children's
cartoons and recent Arabic sitcoms or dramas from Egypt or the Gulf".
The station has a website at http://www.imnsr.com/
Arabic News Broadcast - A UK-based pan-Arab satellite TV channel, on
the Hotbird 4, Eutelsat W1 and Nilesat satellites. The channel is
reported to have four regional bureaus in the Middle East and is
believed to be uplinked from Beirut.
ANB is a venture launched by a group of businessmen from different
parts of the Arab world and has "the single goal of conquering the
Iraqi market", according to the Transnational Broadcasting Studies
(TBS) journal (spring-summer 2004).
The general manager of ANB is Butrus al-Khuri, who states that ANB "is
financed by a group of businessmen from Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and
Tunisia, and will depend exclusively on advertisements for revenue. It
will not be based only in London, but will have centres in all of
those countries. ANB's programming will be entirely in Arabic, except
for one daily news bulletin in English, as well as a weekly talk show
that will host an English native speaker."
Al-Mashriq TV - An independent television channel which started
broadcasting in June 2004 on UHF channel 54 in Baghdad. Channel
describes itself as "Al-Mashriq, the television of Iraq and Iraqis".
Ashur TV - This terrestrial TV station transmits on UHF channel 45. It
is run by the Assyrian Democratic Movement.
The channel has been observed to carry a variety of programmes that
include newscasts, science programmes, songs, drama series and other
programmes. Ashur TV has a website at http://www.ashurtv.org.
Kurdsat television - broadcasts in Kurdish on UHF channel 30 and via
the Hotbird satellite. It is run by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
(PUK).
Al-Hurriyah [Freedom] television - broadcasts in Arabic on UHF channel
31. It is also run by the PUK.
Kurdistan Television - received in Baghdad on UHF channel 33. It is
run by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Karbala - a local TV channel was launched on 16 April 2003, according
to United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi TV on 6 May. Similar small-scale
local channels are reported to be operating in Najaf and Kut,
according to BBC News Online reporter Tarik Kafala, who visited the
stations in June 2003. Ninawa TV was launched in mid-July 2003. The
Baghdad newspaper Al-Ittihad reported on 14 July that an independent
radio station called Ninawa Radio also operates.
Mosul TV was the "first station" to resume transmission in Iraq after
the overthrow of Saddam Husayn, Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya TV
reported on 10 May 2003.
Kirkuk TV channel started broadcasts on 23 April 2003 "under the
supervision of the coalition forces", according to a report by the
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) newspaper Brayati on 25 April.
PUK TV in Kirkuk - The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan launched a new TV
channel in Kirkuk on 23 March 2004, the Baghdad newspaper Al-Mashriq
reported. The report says that its broadcasts covers Kirkuk and
surrounding areas. An official source at the station said that its
goal was to enhance brotherly relations among ethnic groups in the
city. He added that broadcasting will be in Arabic, Kurdish, Turkomen
and Syriac to include all ethnic groups in Kirkuk.
ATB TV in Kirkuk - Local TV channel ATB began test broadcasts in
Kirkuk in June 2004, initially for eight hours a day. The channel is
affiliated with the Kurdistan Communist Party.
"ATB is the seventh television channel broadcasting to Kirkuk
citizens, along with other channels affiliated with the main Kurdish,
Islamic and Turkomen parties, in addition to Kirkuk Television,
sponsored and supervised by the coalition forces. Moreover, Kirkuk has
eight radio stations broadcasting programmes in local languages spoken
by various ethnic groups in the governorate," the Baghdad newspaper
Al-Ahali reported on 16 June 2004.
Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk in April 2003 and
broadcasts on behalf of the Iraqi Turkoman Front. Turkomaneli Radio
opened radio stations in Talla'far and Mosul on 6 and 8 May 2003
respectively, the Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli reported
on 11 May. The channel is available on UHF channel 56 in Kirkuk, and
on the Eurasiasat satellite at 42 degrees east. The channel operates a
website at http://www.turkomenelitv.com
Dijlah (Tigris) satellite channel, with headquarters in Mosul,
launched at the start of August 2004. It broadcasts in Kurdish and
Arabic.
Zagros TV, a Kurdish language satellite channel, based in Arbil and
available on the Eutelsat Sesat satellite at 36 degrees east orbital
position.
IRANIAN BROADCAST MEDIA ACCESSIBLE IN IRAQ
TELEVISION
The Iran-based Al-Alam TV channel in Arabic and English is a 24-hour
news channel transmitted on four satellites (Arabsat, Asiasat, Telstar
and Hot Bird satellites) and can be received in Europe, the Middle
East, Asia and America. Al-Alam broadcasts into Baghdad from a
powerful transmitter about 150 km away, just over the Iran-Iraq
border. It is the only foreign channel that can be viewed by Iraqis
without a satellite dish. That has sent its viewership soaring among
Iraqis, who cannot afford a satellite dish and receiver.
The Arabic channel began broadcasting in February 2003. English
content currently is limited to horizontal news subtitles or news
tickers. The station has a website at http://www.alalam.ir
Sahar Universal Network 1 and 2 television, Iran's external satellite
TV service on the Hot Bird 1-6 satellites, is viewable across Iraq and
includes Arabic programming. It broadcasts on the 13 degrees East Hot
Bird 1-6 satellite daily from 0500-2300 gmt. Its website is located at
http://www.sahar.tv
Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran television in Arabic is based
in Tehran and sponsored by the state-run Vision of the Islamic
Republic of Iran. It broadcasts daily to Iraq on the Intelsat 902
satellite at 62 degrees east, 10973 MHz, vertical polarization.
RADIO
Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (VIRI) external service in
Arabic can be heard on mediumwave and shortwave inside Iraq as well as
via the Internet at http://www.irib.ir
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Major international radio and television stations, such as pan-Arab
satellite television stations, the BBC Arabic and World Service radio,
the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, US Radio Sawa and US-
sponsored Radio Free Iraq are available in Iraq.
BBC World Service is now 24 hours a day on FM in Baghdad and Basra.
The FM frequencies for Arabic programming are 89.0 MHz in Baghdad and
90.0 MHz in Basra. BBC World Service in English can be heard on FM in
Baghdad on 97.9 MHz, and in Basra on 88.0 MHz.
Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East is on FM on 88.0 MHz in Baghdad for 24
hours a day. Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East can also be heard in Basra
on 88.8 MHz and in Mosul on 88.0 MHz. Programming is mostly in Arabic,
however with 30-minute news bulletins in French from Radio France
International three times a day.
Radio France Internationale started a relay of its French-language
programme on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad on 16 February.
Radio Sawa is on FM in Baghdad (100.4 MHz), Arbil (100.5 MHz), Mosul
(106.6 MHz), Sulaymaniyah (88.0 MHz) and Basra (107.0), as well as on
1548 kHz MW from Kuwait.
Panorama FM replaced MBC FM on 88.6 MHz in the latter half of 2004,
both brands being owned by the Dubai-based Middle East Broadcasting
Corporation. 98.8 FM is owned by the Channel 4 Radio Network, which is
also based in the United Arab Emirates.
Al-Hurra TV - Since 14 February 2004 satellite viewers in Iraq and the
rest of the Arab world have been able to watch a new US government-
funded Arabic-language satellite TV channel, Al-Hurra (meaning "the
free"). The station broadcasts free-to-air via the direct-to-home
Arabsat and Nilesat satellites. It is also distributed via other
satellites.
In April 2004 a second channel, Al-Hurra Iraq, was added specifically
for Iraqi audiences. It is available by satellite and terrestrially in
Baghdad and Basra.
Syrian Arab Republic Radio is the Syrian state-owned radio. The Main
Programme broadcasts on shortwave on 12085 and 13610 kHz. It has also
been heard in Iraq on the MW frequencies of 819, 828 and 918 kHz.
Radio Kuwait is the state-owned Kuwaiti radio. It can be received in
Iraq on the MW frequency of 540 kHz 24 hours.
MAIN PRINT MEDIA
The following is a list of the main newspapers published in Iraq.
Although more than 250 newspapers and magazines appeared in Iraq since
the fall of the former regime in April 2003, reportedly only about 100
are still publishing, many of them on an irregular basis.
Al-Adalah - daily published by the Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq
Al-Ahali - independent weekly; website - http://www.ahali-iraq.com
Al-Basa'ir - weekly published by the Association of Muslim Scholars in
Iraq; website - http://www.basaernews.com
Al-Bayan - published by the Islamic Da'wah Party, chaired by prime
minister Ibrahim al-Jafari; website http://www.idp-baghdad.org/bayan/
Al-Bayyinah - weekly published by the Hezbollah movement in Iraq
Al-Da'wah - daily published by the Islamic Da'wah Party
Al-Dustur - Independent daily published by former journalist Basim al-
Shaykh
Al-Furat - political daily; website - www.alfourat.com
Al-Iraq al-Yawm - weekly newspaper published by Isra Shakir
Ishraqat Al-Sadr - Islamic weekly associated with Muqtada al-Sadr
Al-Ittihad - daily published by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Al-Ittijah al-Akhar - weekly of the United Nation Party, led by
Mish'an al-Juburi; website - http://www.alitijahalakhar.com/
Al-Mada - independent daily published by Al-Mada Institution for
Media, Culture and Arts; website - http://www.almadapaper.com
Al-Manar al-Yawm - independent daily
Al-Manarah - independent political daily published by Sawt al-Janub
press, print and publishing institution in Basra; website -
http://www.almannarah.com
Al-Mashriq - daily published by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and
Cultural Investments
Al-Mu'tamar - daily published by the Iraqi National Congress
Al-Sa'ah - biweekly of the Unified National Movement, led by prominent
Sunni cleric Prof Ahmad al-Kubaysi
Al-Sabah - daily published by the Iraqi Media Network; website -
http://www.alsabaah.com/
Al-Sabah al-Jadid - independent political daily; website -
http://newsabah.com/
Al-Shira - independent daily
Tariq al-Sha'b - political and cultural weekly of the Iraqi Communist
Party; website - http://www.tareekalshaab.com
Al-Taakhi - daily published by the Kurdistan Democratic Party
Al-Ufuq - political daily published by Al-Ufuq Cultural Foundation;
website - http://www.alufuqnews.com/
Al-Zaman - Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily; website
- http://www.azzaman.com
Al-Zawra - weekly published by the Iraqi Journalists Association
Ansar al-Mahdi - Islamic political weekly affiliated with Shi'i cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr
Baghdad - daily published by the Iraqi National Accord
Bahra - general political weekly of the Assyrian Democratic Movement;
website - http://www.zowaa.org/BahraADM.htm
Dar al-Salam - weekly of the Iraqi Islamic Party; website -
http://www.dar-ussalam.net/
Sawt al-Ahali - political daily (published weekly for the time being)
of the National Democratic Party
Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 19 May 05
BBC Mon MD1 Media FMU amdc/pf/cmc/dak (BBCM June 16 via DXLD)
** IRELAND. 6295, UNID in DX Window no 273. I am sure that this is
Reflections Europe in Ireland (except for maybe an occasional
Europirate broadcast, this is the only way to log and verify Ireland
today). I have had them at this time, frequency and day of the week
before with the same religious program format (I heard The Calvary
Hour). Back in January 2003 they verified my reception report in a
mere 17 days. I am confident that this is the UNID reported by Jaap
Kleijn (Rich D'Angelo, PA, Jun 01, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH. The following KCBS stations were audible in the
Philippines on May 30 at 1130 and onwards: 2350, 2850, 3220, 3960,
4450, 9665 and 11680, all in parallel (Roland Schulze, DSWCI DX Window
June 15 via DXLD)
** KURDISTAN. Another political event of interest to DX-ers happened
in Arbil, Northern Iraq, on Sunday, June 12, where Massoud Barzani,
son of the father of the Kurdish nationalism, Mullah Mustafa al-
Barzani, and chairman of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) was
formally appointed as "President of Iraqi Kurdistan" at a ceremony in
the Kurdish Parliament. This autonomous area consists of the Iraqi
Provinces of Sulaimaniyah, Arbil and Dohuk. The other big Party is the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with Headquarter's in Sulaimaniyah
in the East and lead by Jalal Talibani until he was elected President
of Iraq in April. KDP and PUK did fight a war against each other a few
years ago and it took them four months of negotiations to agree on the
appointment of Massoud Barzani as their common President in Kurdistan.
Until recently KDP has been broadcasting on 6335 and PUK on 4025 kHz,
but they are difficult to hear in Europe now due to the few hours of
darkness here at summer solstice (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX
Window June 15 via DXLD)
** KYRGYZSTAN. Re: DXLD 5-093/6.6.2005: ``6030, R Maranatha, Bishkek
(ex R Extol and probably ex ``Hit Shortwave``), scheduled Sat 1555-
1800 to Central and Western Asia. Rebroadcasts religious programs in
Persian languages (Dari, Tajik, Farsi). On 1467 MW R Maranatha
rebroadcasts TWR programs daily at 1500-1800 (for schedule see TWR
Europe under `Austria` in WRTH). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, May 19,
DSWCI DX Window via DXLD)"
Bernd, from where is the info regarding 6030 kHz? According to my
experience summer time is applied for this, i.e. it is on between
1455-1700. Moreover, I have heard it on other days than Saturday and
would think it is daily. I can't hear a definite ID, though, so there
may be more broadcasters involved than just TWR. 73, (Mauno Ritola,
Finland, June 17, dxlgyg via DXLD)
** LATVIA. 9290, Europa R International, via Ulbroka, *1100-1150, Sun
Jun 12, English, announcements, many IDs, pop-music, DJs having much
fun in the studio. 34333 in Greece, 44444 in Denmark (Bjarke Vestesen,
Denmark and Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via
DXLD)
** LIBERIA. Tonight, Jari Savolainen on IRC channel #swl brought to my
attention a tip from Luca Botto Fiora in Italy in DXLD. An UNID
religious stations was heard by Luca on 5470 kHz.
Jari listened from 2000 UT (June 14) and just before 2100 heard
mentions of "VOA editorial" and "Voice of America". Then there was a
African accented announcer mentioning Monrovia, and then music.
I myself started listening at 10 minutes past 2100, and heard
(pop)music by a.o. Boney M and James Brown. First possible ID came at
2125, but was killed by static crashes. Another possible ID at 2127,
and the first definite "Radio Veritas" ID at 2129 UT. The ID included
"...the Catholic Media Centre..., Monrovia". Several IDs were given in
the following period of what sounded like a news or current affairs
program.
Signal here in the Netherlands was weak, with lots of static and
annoying, strong 'buzzz' sounds. Thanks Jari, Luca and DXLD. 73',
(Mark Veldhuis, the Netherlands, Receiver: Icom IC-R75; Antenna:
Wellbrook ALA-1530 loop, dxing.info via DXLD)
** MALDIVE ISLANDS [non]. 11810, Minivan R, full data QSL-certificate,
a letter with station info in 2 months. V/s Monica Michie (Vaclav
Korinek, RSA, in Dxplorer, Jun 11 via DSWCI DX Window June 15 via
DXLD) This was their frequency in November-March. (DSWCI Ed, ibid.)
** MEXICO [and non]. BCN, Tecate (move from Ensenada 92.1), XHBCE
105.7, 50000 h,v; 150 m, d-a with 3% power 20-60 , 150-200 , 100% power
290 , $tereo, ``Stereo Sol``.
It was to have moved to a site at Matamoros Jaramillo, 32-26-50, 116-
43-55, 18 km SW Tecate, but an airplane fly-over showed no
construction there. Instead, it appears to have built on a peak, Cerro
Bola, 29 km SSW Tecate, and is seeking C1 facilities. In moving, it
was to have provided directional antenna service to Ensenada, but
there`s no evidence it has done that. It`s the site used by XHATE 95.3
Tecate. Three US stations have complained of interference: KIOZ 105.3
San Diego, KXRS 105.7 Hemet, and KPWR 105.9 Los Ángeles. KXRS
commissioned the fly-over, but this is disputed by San Diego area
broadcaster John Lynch, who also commissioned a fly-over, which
supposedly found XHBCE to be in compliance. Now it`s up to the FCC,
hopefully with the Mexico government help, to sort out the problem
(Bruce F. Elving, Ph.D., June FMedia! via DXLD)
** NEW ZEALAND. Dear Glenn, Re. 16 JUN DXLD, in practical terms, NZ is
in fact Portugal's antipode land. Consequently, any azimuth from POR
to NZL or vice-versa is simply directly to the other territory. What
can substantially change reception quality at a given time is the
azimuth change for making the path change, and it can well be this or
that path is simply not favoured by ionosphere at a given time ---
that's what I implicitly meant, and I'm sure you'll agree (Carlos
Gonçalves, Portugal, June 17, DX LISTENIG DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 7275, FRCN, Abuja, 0547, Jun 13, English reference to
"National service", local notices, fading out on clear frequency.
Should not co-channel Tunis have been here as well? 23332 (Martien
Groot, Netherlands, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD) On Jun 01 RTT
replaced 7275 by 7190 at 0500-0700 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX
Window June 15 via DXLD)
** OKLAHOMA. Strange things going on at Cox Cable, Enid: June 17
around 1330 UT, KWTV-9 was black screen, while it was OK off-the-air
on my antenna, but soon cut back on. Later around 1400 I noticed that
KFOR-4 picture had a very slight ghost and signs of some interference
bars. Comparing that to antenna signal, sure enough, Cox now taking
offair signal instead of satellite feed, which may have been
temporarily down. Cox is normally reluctant to use off-air backup. I
checked out all the other OKC stations, and found the usual situation:
satellite feed from KOCO-5, KWTV-9, KOKH-25, KOCB-34, KAUT-43, off-air
from KETA-13, KTBO-14, KSBI-52, KOPX-62. So 25 and 34 apparently
settled their differences with Dish or DirecTV (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) KFOR-TV still OTA relay at 2230
** OKLAHOMA. APPLICATIONS FROM EXISTING FACILITIES:
1450, KGFF, Shawnee, application to decrease daytime power from an
existing (taller ) communications tower at N35-18-08 W96-55-06. If
approved and built, KGFF will become U1 560/1000 (Bill Hale, AM
Switch, NRC DX News June 13 via DXLD)
** OKLAHOMA. FMakings --- Selected FCC Applications and/or
Rulemakings: Alva, KNID, 99.7, 100000 h,v; 310 m, hoping to better its
coverage of Enid from a site south of Cherokee OK (June FMedia! via
DXLD)
Present Facilities: 850ft 100kw C1 62 mile radius coverage area
Transmitter: 36 35' 41" N 98 15' 38" W
APP: move to , 0 [sic] 1017ft 100kw N C0
Transmitter: 36 37' 31" N 98 15' 21" W
(100000watts.com via DXLD)
Present tower is a 3+ miles N of Helena on state highway 58 where it
jogs; have driven by there many times; New location is about 2 miles
further north and 3 miles south of the US 64 junction. So the change
in location is rather insignificant; the 167 ft increase in height
will make the difference, but it`s hard to see how this is worth the
trouble and expense.
The same company had a perfectly good Enid FM channel with transmitter
much closer to the city, on 96.9, the original KNID, but moved it
halfway to OKC and then sold it, now KQOB --- tho 100000watts.com
still shows it as co-owned. BTW, during severe storms Thursday night,
KNID-99.7 was off the air.
When weather gets very rough, some FM stations relay TV stations`
continuous non-commercial weather coverage. Which relay which, and at
what point they hook up, is ever-changing, and I don`t know of any
single accurate reference for these arrangements, other than hit-and-
miss announcements on the TV stations themselves. I was surprised to
hear KOSU 91.7 with KFOR-TV for a while (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) KOSU: see also U S A
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. The following regional stations were audible in
the Philippines on May 30 at a quick check from 1030 onwards: 3235,
3260, 3275, 3290!, 3315, 3325, 3365, 3905 and 4890 (Roland Schulze,
Philippines, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7120, Wantok Radio Light, Port Moresby, 0744-
1030, Jun 05, at almost armchair level in California (S-4+). ID's were
frequent and relatively easy to understand. Sounded more like 50 KW
than 1 KW! Continuous praise, gospel and inspirational songs with
woman announcer about every 2-3 songs with frequent frequency
announcements and phone numbers for listener requests. Announcer
readibility was quite good tonight. Great music program! None of
the usual "Back to the Bible" or "Focus on the Family" features
tonight --- just request songs. ID's at 0800 and 0900. Since it was a
request program, on a whim I called the station at 011 675 321 3399 at
0915 and spoke to Martha (the program announcer) during the broadcast
--- she was kind enough to mention my call and play a request song for
me at 0918: "Jesus, Lover of My Soul", a very famous hymn by John
Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church. Other than doing a similar
thing during the last broadcast of Radio St. Helena in 1999, this was
a first for me, especially since I could hear the result, unlike RSH!
Martha is actually pretty easy to understand on the air and speaks
good Australian English on the phone. At 0932 Martha made an
announcement about the inauguration of the station on June 11. 45544.
(Bruce Churchill, CA, in Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window June 15 via
DXLD)
The station was also heard in the Philippines at 1015-1100 on Jun 01,
English religious programme, 1030 ID: "Wantok Radio, Port Moresby",
programme review, S 5 with splatter QRM (Phone call from Roland
Schulze, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD).
** PERU. 5939.3, R Melodía, Arequipa, 0055-0200, Jun 14; despite its
name there was just talking in Spanish throughout these 65 minutes in
a phone-in program! 0150 finally came a jingle, time ann and clear ID,
33333 sideband QRM (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15
via DXLD)
** PERU. 6956.9, R la Voz del Campesino, Huarmaca, sent me a partial
data e-mail verie in 18 months. V/s Fermin Santos (La Gerencia).
(Vaclav Korinek, RSA in Dxplorer, Jun 12 via DSWCI DX Window June 15
via DXLD)
** PERU. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Radio
Cusco fue captada este 14/06 a las 0237 UT, con SINPO 24422, en los
6193.41 kHz. Con música andina y locutor de guardia. Casi sin
interferencias de algún tipo (Adán González, Catia La Mar, Estado
Vargas, VENEZUELA, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PUERTO RICO. APPLICATIONS FROM EXISTING FACILITIES: 1260, WI2XSO,
Mayagüez, application to increase both power levels to become U4
5000/1700 (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News June 13 via DXLD)
** U K [and non]. BBC LAUNCHES RADIO AMNESTY FOR AFRICA
On the 6th of July the BBC is to launch a radio amnesty in aid of
African nations, fronted by presenter Nick Knowles. The BBC's digital
radio team and BBC Radio Five Live have teamed up with manufacturers
and high street retailers across the country to offer listeners a
discount of 10% on a new digital radio, when they trade in their
portable FM sets. The old sets will then be reconditioned and sent to
Somalia and south Sudan, where they will be distributed by the BBC
World Service Trust. The amnesty starts on 6 July and lasts until 26
July, during which time Five Live will support the project on air and
around a thousand stores up and down the country will take part.
Retailers will accept battery-powered FM/AM radios, which will be
reconditioned, fitted with new batteries and shipped for distribution
by the BBC World Service Trust and its partner, the African
Educational Trust (AET). The trust and the AET will use the radios to
further their work on the Somalia Distance Education for Literacy
project - or 'Radio Teacher' - which offers education to men and women
who have grown up during civil war with no chance of schooling (Radio
Newsletter 16.6.2005 via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, DXLD)
This is not what ``amnesty`` means, at least to an American; no such
sense in my dictionary. Must be another weird Briticism, but what term
do they use to mean ``amnesty`` in our sense? (Glenn Hauser, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. CHANGES AT VOICE OF AMERICA
by David Folkenflik Morning Edition, June 17, 2005 [audio]
Kenneth Tomlinson, Board Chairman of the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, is being accused of politicizing Voice of America and
other federal-funded broadcast entities. Some VOA staff charge that
Tomlinson is attempting to influence news coverage there. . .
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4707444
(via Neil T. Greenidge, DXLD)
** U S A. 15580, VOA via Botswana, 1605-1655, Tue Jun 14, "Talk to
America" about Clandestine broadcasting with Doug Bernard, Nick Grace
and Richard Lafayette. Formerly people in opposition did set up a
clandestine radio station in the country itself, often using a ham
transceiver. Nowadays most clandestine broadcasts are from another
country, using SW, MW, FM, Satellite TV and not least text and audio
via the Internet. The first thing oppressed people do today, is to set
up a website to spread their messages. These broadcasts are still
clandestine, because the listeners, viewers and readers do not know
from whom and where these messages are coming. This phone-in programme
mentioned broadcasts to Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe and Vietnam
and had some impressive recordings of such broadcasts. The discussion
was joined by telephone of Gerry Jackson from SW Radio Africa and
Congbang Nguyen from R Hoa-Mai [see VIETNAM]. 44444, but
deteriorating, heard // 9700 and 9760 which were poor at start, but
improving. Thanks a lot to Victor Goonetilleke for inviting me to hear
this excellent program (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June
15 via DXLD) Check the ondemand via
http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/TTA-Archive-Page.cfm
(gh)
** U S A [non]. AJ Janitschek of Radio Free Asia sent information
about RFA's latest QSL card that commemorates EDXC 2005 in Prague. AJ
notes that they are planning a special QSL card for July or August to
honor RFA's retiring company president and then another for September
release to commemorate the station's 9th Anniversary. Here's the text
from the press release about the EDXC card:
"Radio Free Asia's Technical Operations Division is proud to announce
the release of the company's sixth QSL card. Scheduled for
distribution between May 1 to June 30, 2005 this QSL Card commemorates
the European DX Council's 2005 Conference held in Prague, Czech
Republic and RFA's participation in the event. On Friday, April 29th,
the second day of the conference was hosted in the Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty facility and the next day the conference moved to
the studios of Radio Prague. The EDXC is an association of DX clubs,
i.e. radio listeners club. EDXC promotes co-operation between European
DX listeners and organizations, establishes and fosters close contact
with other DX organizations throughout the world and improves contacts
between DX listeners, radio stations and other organizations in the
field of radio and telecommunications."
You may recall that RFA's fifth QSL card commemorated the 18th annual
Winter SWL Festival held in Kulpsville, PA earlier this year. AJ notes
he has been swamped with other issues at RFA, so QSLs have been going
slow. Hopefully, he will be able to attack the backlog during the
summer months (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet June 12 via DXLD)
** U S A. Re WLO: I don't know who was contradicting whom --- who
cares! The gender of the voice does change, or did as of earlier this
year, but I have never been able to determine a pattern.
Some government source in 2003 --- I believe it was the USCG --- said
that listeners found Perfect Paul annoying, and were thus
experimenting with better voice synthesizers. Hence the appearance of
Paula. This was about the same time that the local NOAA station
replaced the German guy with an American man and woman.
BTW, the USCG broadcasts on 2670 are live, as are USCG broadcasts on
VHF. They do not use a synthesized voice. 73/ (Liz Cameron, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. The FCC is picking up steam with regard to noncommercial
FMs. It is granting many applications where there are settlement
agreements, but now is preparing to dig in and apply criteria that
come out of a 1998 freeze, including whether an applicant might give a
new or a second educational service to 10 percent of an area`s
population, or if it might give such a service to at least 5000 more
listeners, and if that doesn`t cut it, looking at questions of local
ownership and proposed local programming (Bruce Elving, June FMedia!
via DXLD)
** U S A. KOSU - Future of Public Broadcasting
Dear Listener, We are writing you today about the future of public
broadcasting. We’ve often said that your contributions are the most
reliable and substantial support for our service. This point may
become even sharper as a congressional subcommittee has recently voted
to take back federal funding previously approved for the support of
local public radio and television stations, as well as funding for
educational children’s programs for public TV. If approved by the U.S.
Senate, we estimate that KOSU will lose as much as $68,000 beginning
in just four months. This would be the equivalent of losing 3 out of
every 5 pledges during our fall fund drive. All told, public
broadcasting could lose 45 percent of its funding beginning in
October, with the most significant impact felt by small and rural
stations and their listeners and viewers.
Whatever your feelings about an ongoing investment by the American
people in public broadcasting, we hope you will share your opinion
with your elected representatives. To contact your representative, go
to this website: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/
(KOSU mailing list June 17 via DXLD)
KUNM *89.9 Albuquerque promotes a special Saturday June 18 at 5 pm [=
2300 UT], on threats to cut funding for public broadcasting; also
webcast (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. OFF, due to extenuating circumstances, is WCBG 1380
Waynesboro PA, whose tower came tumbling down. Remember when the city
of Chambersburg took the land of (the former) WCBG 1590, making it go
off the air? Well, the owner of the 1590 facility bought the 1380
station and moved the calls there. Now his tower falls down. The guy
must have broken a mirror or opened an umbrella indoors, eh? Anyway,
the 1380 facility should return when a new tower is constructed.
FCC Actions: GRANTS TO EXISTING FACILITIES:
950, WPEN, PA, Philadelphia --- update. Shortly after their CP for U4
5000/21000 was granted, the FCC granted a later application for U4
50000/5000 from two sites: Days at N40-09-11 W75-25-53 (the WWDB 860
site) and nights at N39-58-28 W75-16-19 (their original site). So it
seems WPEN is now authorized for U4 50000/5000.
1380, KMUL, TX, Farwell --- CP granted for U1 1100/10 on 830 kHz from
a new transmitter site at N34-29-42 W103-23-39 [This was recently
reported heard on 830, ex-Muleshoe, seemingly with 50 kW --- gh]
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTRUCTION PERMITS SUBMITTED
840, KPMP, CA, Modesto --- this new station, not yet on air, is the
proposed replacement for KTRB 860 which has been given FCC approval to
move to San Francisco; has applied for several different antenna/power
combinations. They have a CP for U4 4000/5000, but this latest
amendment requests U4 5000/5000.
860, KTRB, CA, Modesto --- licensed for U4 50000/10000, KTRB has a CP
to move to San Francisco with U4 50000/50000 from two transmitter
sites. This amendment proposed to change the nighttime site, but the
westward pattern remains the same. As a special condition to the CP,
the operation of KTRB must not produce a radiation level of ]not[ more
than 10 mV/m at the Livermore, CA monitor station.
1300, KKOL, WA, Seattle --- KKOL has recently been granted a CP to
increase day and night powers to become U4 50000/50000 from a new 4-
tower array at N47-24-53 W122-16-42. This amendment requests U4
50000/47000.
AMENDMENTS TO APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED
960, KOVO, UT, Provo, licensed for U2 5000/1000, KOVO has submitted a
number of applications/amendments since January 2004. The latest is
for U7 50000/940 CH 50000.
1180, KGOL, TX, Humble, licensed for U4 50000/1000, KOGL has a number
of applications and amendments on file. The latest (prior to this
filing) is for U2 10000/4700 CH 10000. This requests U4 50000/3000
along with some tower and pattern adjustments [brokered ethnic, I
think, especially Vietnamese --- gh] (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX
News June 13 via DXLD) These are just a very few excerpts from Bill`s
column (gh)
** U S A. 1110, KFAB, NE, Omaha, is in the process of replacing the
last of its three original self-standing towers (the other two were
destroyed in a 1975 storm). While this project is going on, the
station has an STA to run 5 kW non-direxional at night from the center
tower of its three-tower array (it continues to be 50 kW non-
direxional daytime). During this time, it should be easier to hear
KFAB in the East (Ernie Wesolowski, Omaha, DDXD-West, NRC DX News June
13 via DXLD)
** U S A. 1710, Pirate, NY, Brooklyn, 5/29 1150 [EDT], crappy
modulation with usual English Talmudic commentary and talk about the
Lubavitcher Rebbe (rabbi) and the Moshiach (Messiah) (Mike Brooker,
Central Park, DDXD-East, NRC DX News June 13 via DXLD)
** U S A. NonIDs, Not Just Slogans --- WKRY, *88.1, Versailles IN,
with ``WYGS,` the calls of Columbus IN *91.1. The biggest surprise to
me was the failure of some stations to announce their FCC callsigns in
a timely manner. The practice of using station logos instead of their
call letters makes it a little bit more difficult for someone doing FM
DXing. I was stunned to find a few stations actually identifying
themselves using incorrect call letters because they were simulcasting
a different FM station. WYGS is a good example of that. Even at the
top of the hour, station WKRY did not identify themselves using their
own callsign. WYGS was the only ID transmitted. I had to call the
station in Versailles to verify that it was their signal that I was
listening to! (Greg May, Union KY, June FMedia! via DXLD)
** U S A. MORE FROM THE FIELD: Last month, we told you of some Sean
Hannity-hijinks, uncovered by the ever-vigilant Earth-father Harry
Shearer. Harry writes: "Couple of things: the Hannity piece came from
my sources, no indication of satellite backhaul or other technology
involved. And Le Show is indeed heard where you said, but also on
almost 100 public-radio stations nationwide (except for Boston and
Washington, but they're not big college towns)."
Harry's "Le Show" is the perfect excuse to check out the schedule
of your local PubCaster; if it's not heard where you are, then call
said local PubCaster during their next pledge drive, and promise them
thousands of your hard-earned dollars --- ONLY on the condition that
"Le Show" is added immediately to the roster! Then, be sure your check
is post-dated, to assure a follow-through on the promise you are
entitled to receive (Greg Hardison, Broadcast Band Update June 12,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Harry availablizes son Show free of charge to any station that will
carry it, so big donations should not be necessary. Full UD is in
dxldyg, message 5355
** VIETNAM [non]. 11555, R Free Vietnam, via KWHR, Hawaii, now back at
originally scheduled Mo-Fr 1230-1300 in Vietnamese. For a couple of
weeks, KWHR aired these transmissions one hour earlier (Datzinov and
Ivanov in R Bulgaria Observer, via BC-DX Jun 03 and Trutenau,
Jun 13 in Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD) However, this
broadcast was not heard here on 11555 Sa/Su Jun 04/05! (Anker
Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** VIETNAM [non]. The target programme "Radio Hoa-Mai" (Sat/Sun 1330-
1400 via KHWR on 11555) is hosted by Nguyen CongBang of the Hoa-Mai
Club; the Club's website is http://www.nvnp.org Email address for the
host: congbang @ nvnp.org Postal address: P.O. Box 4175, Garden
Grove, CA 92842-4175, USA. Quote from the website: "Hoa-Mai Club is a
dedicated selective group of Vietnamese compatriots and friends from
around the world, who have joined together for a commitment of
promoting the process of democratization and development of Vietnam."
(Bernd Trutenau, Jun 01, via Dxplorer, and Schoech, DSWCI DX Window
June 15 via DXLD)
11555, R Hoa-Mai, via KWHR Hawaii, *1328-1359*, Jun 12, bells followed
by a woman with ID and soft instrumental music. More talk including
postal and website address. Program of Vietnamese talks by a man and
woman with brief instrumental segments. Fair but fading by 1352. 25342
(Rich D'Angelo, PA, and Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, DSWCI DX
Window June 15 via DXLD)
My reception report was quickly answered with this e-mail: "Hi
Gabriel. Thank you for your email. Yes, I believe what you heard was a
program of Radio Hoa-Mai. For more information about our programs
please visit our web site at: http://www.radiohoamai.org Have A Nice
Weekend! CongBang Nguyen." (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, Jun 04
via Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. FCC has revoked the license of WSTX 970,
Christiansted, for violations including non-funxioning EAS equipment,
and failures to respond to FCC correspondence (Bill Hale, AM Switch,
NRC DX News June 13 via DXLD)
** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 7466, Polisario Front, Rabuni, in the clear
(rated 35443) right after 0800 for their extended Friday morning
program 0800-0900 after which Friday's R.4Peace feature in both
Castilian & Arabic until s/off 1000. No other frequencies except that
via Hotbird satellite was mentioned. I'll try to observe 7466 mornings
on the SW coast to see whether the USA station on 7465 is not so
"heavy" on Rabuni (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, June 17, DX LISTENIG
DIGEST)
** ZIMBABWE [non]. ...Who pays for the station remains an issue. SW
Radio Africa is clearly not working for commercial gain and must
therefore be reliant on donations. So, where does the station get its
money from? Gerry Jackson explained, ``We get our funding from non-
government organisations (NGOs) and foundations --- we don`t name them
because talking about it allows the Zimbabwean government to hit us
with a hammer. The important point is that we have complete editorial
control, and this is the point where nobody believes me, but it`s
true: nobody tells us what to say``.
Reports indicate, however, that SWRA may not be being entirely honest
when it says that it is entirely funded by NGOs. It seems likely that
the station is in receipt of money from the US government, even if not
directly from one of the intelligence agencies.
Even if SWRA is entirely funded by NGOs, the whole issue raises the
question of `soft money` in broadcasting: is a station financed by an
NGO any less propaganda than one supported by the CIA or MI6?
According to Nick Grace, this has led to the situation with
clandestine broadcasts becoming more confused than ever: ``The USA
government is beefing up funding for Iranian exile programming and
perhaps more to Syria and Lebanon. How is that funding to be
distributed?``
Nick continues, ``In the old days we knew the CIA and MI6 were behind
stations. Now the web has gotten muddled; with all the NGOs getting
involved, it`s like chaos theory has been applied. You have the Open
Society Institute, the International Bar Association and so on. Then
you have stations like the Democratic Voice of Burma, supported by a
Norwegian organisation to the tune of $1 million``.
The question is, what about SWRA? ``Looking at the logistics of SWRA,
it`s clear that they definitely have support from a variety of
sources. Now, the Mugabe government would love a quote like that to
bash the station, but does that make the programming illegitimate?``
asked Grace rhetorically. ``SWRA`s programmes support freedom of
speech, not the Movement for Democratic Change, and freedom of speech
is a threat to the stability of the regime,`` he said.
SWRA openly works with the International Bar Association, but no other
potential funding source is in the public domain. The so-called
National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a likely candidate for the
funding of stations like SWRA.
Despite describing itself as a private foundation, the NED was created
by the US Government in 1983. Since then it has been regularly
criticised by both left and right for interfering in foreign
countries. It also illustrates the difficulty in conclusively
labelling a station as government-funded; despite being a private
organisation, the NED is in receipt of money from the US government,
money which is then distributed to groups worldwide. According to
Peter Baker, writing in the Washington Post on 20 March, the NED
receives $80 million per year. Ironically SWRA`s reluctance to divulge
its supporters is likely to intensify speculation about their backers,
not quash it (from a 3-page article, illustrated with Nick Grace in
shades et al., by Jason Walsh, Free Radio?, June Short Wave Magazine
[UK], via DXLD)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unsolicited flowers --- A week has almost passed between DXLD 5096 and
5097 provoking a sense of emptiness among us visitors to this site,
looking for DX news day by day in the WOR postings scheme. And when GH
decides to take a sabbatical or a little vacation, or drifts away for
whatever personal reasons, comes to reality the real purpose you are
accomplishing in the worldwide DX panorama. So from me, as we say here
in Tiquicia "estoy echándote flores" what goes for "I´m throwing
flowers upon you" just to praise your invaluable task for your short
wave responsibilities and may the Good Lord keep you healthy for so
many years to let us all worldwide community enjoy your friendship
(Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, June 17) I am touched. Thank you (gh)
CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
MADISON-MILWAUKEE GET-TOGETHER, SATURDAY AUGUST 20
The 12th Annual Madison-Milwaukee Get-together for DXers and Radio
Enthusiasts returns to Madison this year, after a highly successful
gathering in Milwaukee last year. The event will be held on Saturday,
August 20, in Burrows Park, 25 Burrows Road, Madison WI 53704, along
beautiful Lake Mendota. This year's hosts are Bill and Nina Dvorak.
Activities will begin at 1 PM, with a dinner at 6 and a night session
at Bill and Nina's afterward. Join us for the whole day or part. Come
when you can and leave when you must.
What can you expect at this event? Good fellowship and lots of DX talk
in an informal atmosphere. We provide the shelter, snacks and soda.
All you need bring is your love of and enthusiasm for the DX hobby. We
promise that you will have fun, exchange some great ideas, make new
friendships and/or renew old ones. We take a group photo late in the
afternoon, so bring a camera.
For planning purposes, please let us know that you are coming. For
more information, contact Bill Dvorak by any of these three methods:
by e-mail dxerak @ aol.com (please put "DX Get-together" in the
subject line); by mail 501 Algoma Street, Madison WI 53704-4812; or by
phone 608-244-5497. For those needing them, maps and accommodations
info are available on request.
A few words about the GTG: This event has been held on the third
Saturday in August every year since 1994, with Tim Noonan and Bill
Dvorak alternating as hosts. The first ten events were held in
Madison. Beginning last year, we started rotating the event between
Madison and Milwaukee. In each of the last two years, 29 DXers
attended the event, and we expect similar numbers this year. This is
an all-band event, and draws a diverse group of hobbyists. We hope
that you can come, and look forward to seeing you! 73 (Bill and Nina
Dvorak, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
DX-PEDITIONS
++++++++++++
OUTBACK in QUEENSLAND, NORTHERN TERRITORY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
On http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/northern_australia_2005_03.dx you
can read about an extraordinary travelling outback DXpedition from
Queensland to South Australia by Australian DX-er Craig Edwards in
March, visiting Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine (Anker
Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 15 via DXLD)
DRM
+++
DRM AND AM BROADCASTS SIDE BY SIDE
We can now hear three or four transmissions in most of the lower
broadcast bands during the day, i.e. in the 49, 41 and 31m bands.
Because of the nature of DRM transmissions being a block of carriers
transmitted in a 10 kHz spread with a rectangular power pattern, these
signals appear as a wide block of noise to a conventional AM receiver,
occupying what seems like 15 or 20 kHz to the usual non-professional
hobbyist receiver. For most receivers bought on the `High Street` an
AM transmitter would have to be 15 or 20 kHz from the nominal DRM
frequency so as not to hear the noise. Even a receiver with selectable
bandwidth, such as a Sangean ATS803 set to the narrow B/W, some +/-
2.5 kHz for instance, I can no longer hear Radio Australia on 9475 due
to excessive QRM from Radio Rossiya DRM on 9480. Whilst the engineers
continue to play with their DRM transmitters, why should existing AM
broadcasters suffer such unwarranted interference? Where is the IFRB
(International Frequency Registration Board)? Not in WRTH. Who do we
complain to? Anyhow there are no DRM receivers yet, proper receivers!
(Des Walsh, Short Wave Magazine [UK], June via DXLD)
RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM
+++++++++++++++++++++
IBIQUITY`S DELIBERATE DECEPTION
Reader Nick Lombardi, Jr., of Atlanta reads several audio and FM
radio-related publications. One of those is Stereophile. In its June,
2005 issue, Michael Fremer, ``Analog Corner``, had this to tell the
Wall Street Journal:
An article in the newspaper`s lead story stated that satellite radio
offers ``higher quality sound`` than FM radio. This is ``demonstrably
incorrect. . . While satellite radio is `digital`, it is a highly
compressed digital format.`` Fremer goes on to say that the chief
engineers at Sirius Satellite Radio and XM would most likely agree, as
would the engineers at WGBH *89.7 Boston or WFMT 98.7 Chicago.
Ibiquity`s website, in fact, carefully states that the process offers
``compact disc-like quality.`` They are careful not to claim ``compact
disc quality.`` Calling it ``compact disc-like`` is a ``big, big
stretch, and deliberate deception, sort of like calling frozen food
`fresh food-like`. It gets the `fresh` association in, but we`re
talking about two very different things. As with satellite, HD radio
is `digital`, but all `digital` formats are not alike., This is not
splitting hairs. Please. It is important to not allow these
misstatements to stand uncorrected. The public deserves better.``
(June FMedia! via DXLD)
SCA WRISTWATCHES
Lyle Henry in southern California reports on SCA wristwatches in Radio
Guide. The Seiko service was turned off in 1999, but a new data
service at 67 kHz is emerging --- the MSN (Microsoft) network.
Equipment at each station connects at MSN HQ in Redmond WA. Station
coverage maps can be seen at http://direct.msn.com
``I know some engineers were not initially happy about adding a
subcarrier to their signal, but it had been arranged by higher
management. So there were the old worries about annoying birdies in
the main channel, particularly under multipath conditions. However, I
think everyone was pleased by the non-effect of the digital SCA. I
certainly could never tell that it was there, as I listened to the
stations for many miles before and after installations.`` (June
FMedia! via DXLD)
NOT LONG LEFT FOR CASSETTE TAPES --- THE CASSETTE IS FACING ERASURE
Some 40 years after global cassette production began in earnest, sales
are in terminal decline. From its creation in the 1960s through to its
peak of popularity in the 1980s, the cassette has been a part of music
culture for 40 years. But industry experts believe it does not have
long left, at least in the West. . .
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4099904.stm
(via Kim Elliott, DXLD)
PROPAGATION
+++++++++++
NEW NEWS ON THE SUDDEN PROTON STORM OF JANUARY 15-19, 2005
Glenn, you will want to read the NASA Science News for June 10, 2005:
A New Kind of Solar Storm --- Going to the Moon? Be careful. A new
kind of solar storm can take you by surprise.
READ THE FULL STORY [audio also available] at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/10jun_newstorm.htm?list213666
(Wells Perkins, KA2HPU, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###